Demonetisation: Oppn seeks cash payment for Odisha MLAs

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PTI

December 15, 2016

UPDATED: December 15, 2016 18:00 IST

Bhubaneswar, Dec 15 (PTI) Asking Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to admit on the floor of the House that his decision to support demonetisation was wrong, opposition Congress today requested the Assembly secretariat to pay MLAs through cash instead of cheque.

"Whatever we get as salary or remuneration should be paid in cash instead of cheque. Otherwise, the MLAs may have to run to banks several times as there is restriction on the amount of withdrawal," Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said while speaking on the demonetisation measure during his speech on the Odisha Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2016.

Stating that Odisha finance minister Pradip Kumar Amat has admitted that the demonetisation would have an adverse impact on the states economy, Mishra said "It was Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who immediately supported Prime Minister Modis demonetisation scheme. Now at least say on the floor of the House that your view on the scheme is wrong."

Mishra was referring Patnaiks statement on November 9 where he described Modis demonetisation scheme as a "bold step".

He said the poor in the state have suffered a lot due to the demonetisation move and agriculture, trade and commerce have been badly hit in the process.

Small traders and marginal farmers were the worst victims of demonetisation, he said.

The Congress leader pointed out that farmers were paid crop insurance benefits after one complete year of crop loss.

Now, they were not being able to draw the amount from their accounts due to shortage of cash in banks. This has led to illegal money lending in the rural pockets of the state, he said adding, people were gradually falling into debt traps.

The Congress leader wanted to know from the state government on the measures taken to ease the problems of farmers, small traders and daily wage earners.

"A benevolent government must come to the rescue of the people in distress," he said.

The people who migrated to other places in search of work have now started to return as they were not being paid due to acute shortage of cash," the Congress leader said. (More) PTI AAM DKB BSA PS

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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